This next one is from M.L. Brennan. Dark Ascension is the fourth book of the Generation V series, and it is due out on August 4th.

After a lifetime of avoiding his family, Fort has discovered that working for them isn’t half bad—even if his mother, Madeline, is a terrifying, murderous vampire. His newfound career has given him a purpose and a paycheck and has even helped him get his partner, foxy kitsune Suzume, to agree to be his girlfriend. All in all, things are looking up.

Only, just as Fort is getting comfortable managing a supernatural empire that stretches from New Jersey to Ontario, Madeline’s health starts failing, throwing Fort into the middle of an uncomfortable and dangerous battle for succession. His older sister, Prudence, is determined to take over the territory. But Fort isn’t the only one wary of her sociopathic tendencies, and allies, old and new, are turning to him to keep Prudence from gaining power.

Now, as Fort fights against his impending transition into vampire adulthood, he must also battle to keep Prudence from destroying their mother’s kingdom—before she takes him down with it….

Book two of the Blackthorn and Grim series by Juliet Marillier, Tower of Thorns, is due out on November 3rd.

Disillusioned healer Blackthorn and her companion, Grim, have settled in Dalriada to wait out the seven years of Blackthorn’s bond to her fey mentor, hoping to avoid any dire challenges. But trouble has a way of seeking out Blackthorn and Grim.

Lady Geiléis, a noblewoman from the northern border, has asked for the prince of Dalriada’s help in expelling a howling creature from an old tower on her land—one surrounded by an impenetrable hedge of thorns. Casting a blight over the entire district, and impossible to drive out by ordinary means, it threatens both the safety and the sanity of all who live nearby. With no ready solutions to offer, the prince consults Blackthorn and Grim.

As Blackthorn and Grim begin to put the pieces of this puzzle together, it’s apparent that a powerful adversary is working behind the scenes. Their quest is about to become a life and death struggle—a conflict in which even the closest of friends can find themselves on opposite sides.

Alex Sanchez is more than just an ordinary detective. He’s on the prowl—as a vampire. Alex uses his unique gifts to police the mean streets of Chicago like a natural predator. But when he learns that local blood banks are being robbed, he’s not sure what rattles him more: the bizarre crime wave or the stunningly beautiful journalist who’s reporting it…

SHE’S RISKING HER NECK FOR A STORY.

Keira Turner is dedicated to her job—and determined to uncover the truth. Dangerously, out-of-this-world handsome Detective Sanchez seems oddly fascinated by the crimes—and obsessed with Keira. Alex might not have a clue who’s stealing blood but he’s sure of one thing: Keira is no mere mortal. She’s descended from a long line of vampire hunters. And if they try to solve this case together, he’ll have to fight the urge to kiss her…or kill her.

J.D. Tyler continues her Alpha Pack series with the release of Chase the Darkness, due out on August 4th.

Believed dead by his Pack mates, Micah Chase, a wolf shifter and Dreamwalker, was held captive for months, subject to tortures that left him physically scarred and emotionally unsettled.

Now under the care of the Alpha Pack’s doctors, he’s been prescribed an experimental healing drug, but he still can’t shake the nightmares. Even more damning is that Micah’s problems pose a danger to his team, and if he doesn’t get himself under control, they’ll all suffer a terrible fate.

There is a key to his salvation. Jacee is a beautiful coyote shifter, and though her kind is hated, she’s falling in love with a man whose very future is in her hands. Together they’ll face his personal demons as well as a deadly enemy—and for both of them desire has never come with such risk.

The third and final book in the Goddess Wars series from Kendare Blake, Ungodly, will be out on September 22nd.

As ancient immortals are left reeling, a modern Athena and Hermes search the world for answers in the final Goddess War novel by the acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood

For the Goddess of Wisdom, what Athena didn’t know could fill a book. That’s what Ares said.

So she was wrong about some things. So the assault on Olympus left them beaten and scattered and possibly dead. So they have to fight the Fates themselves, who, it turns out, are the source of the gods’ illness. And sure, Athena is stuck in the underworld, holding the body of the only hero she has ever loved.

But Hermes is still topside, trying to power up Andie and Henry before he runs out of time and dies, or the Fates arrive to eat their faces.

And Cassandra is up there somewhere too. On a quest for death. With the god of death.

Just because things haven’t gone exactly according to plan, it doesn’t mean they’ve lost. They’ve only mostly lost. And there’s a big difference.

Just a quick check-in post, since I have been MIA for the last couple of days – there just hasn’t been that much going on to post. Easing back into things, there are two new covers making the rounds. First up is the next Celta’s Heartmates book from Robin D. Owens, Heart Fire. It is due out on November 4th.

Cover number two comes from M.L. Brennan and the Generation V series. Tainted Blood will be released on November 4th, as well.

Well, there wasn’t anything that I could call my pick of the week for today’s post, so Cover Lover time it is. I hit the usual sources for these puppies – Amazon and Goodreads. But this first one is thanks to All Things Urban Fantasy. They recently had the exclusive cover reveal for the next Jane Yellowrock book from Faith Hunter, called Black Arts. It will be released on January 7th.

Sticking with the same color scheme is Crimson Veil, the 15th book in Yasmine Galenorn‘s Otherworld series, which will be released on January 28th.

The third book in Cecy Robson‘s Weird Girls series, Cursed by Destiny, will be released on January 7th. I have been meaning to pick up the first book, but it totally slipped my mind.

It looks like there is a second M.L. Brennan Generation V novel in the works. Iron Night will be released on January 7th.

Next up is a few new young adult covers. Lauren Destefano’s new Internment Chronicles series starts up this October 1st with the release of Perfect Ruin.

Looks like another “Perfect” book. Perfect Lies, the second book in Kiersten White‘s new Mind Games series, will be released on February 18th.

And finally, we have Evertrue, the third and final book in Brodi Ashton‘s Everneath series. I finished the first book not long ago, and I have to say I quite enjoyed it. This one will be released on January 21st.

Hm, there wasn’t really any stand-outs for me from this batch. They are all pretty solid, but nothing dramatic or different. I do have to say that Evertrue is pretty, but seems to lack the little details that make it have a finished look. It lacks the impact of the first book in the series because of it, at least for me. The one I was most surprised by was Perfect Ruin. I think it is a pretty cover, but it very much gives me a children’s book vibe rather than a young adult one. Maybe it looks more dramatic in person, though. What are your thoughts? Anything grab your attention?

Hard to believe that it is time yet again for another new series post, and there is quite a few to choose from. For this week, M.L. Brennan is starting her new American Vampire series with the release of Generation V.

Synopsis…

Reality Bites

Fortitude Scott’s life is a mess. A degree in film theory has left him with zero marketable skills, his job revolves around pouring coffee, his roommate hasn’t paid rent in four months, and he’s also a vampire. Well, sort of. He’s still mostly human.

But when a new vampire comes into his family’s territory and young girls start going missing, Fort can’t ignore his heritage anymore. His mother and his older, stronger siblings think he’s crazy for wanting to get involved. So it’s up to Fort to take action, with the assistance of Suzume Hollis, a dangerous and sexy shape-shifter. Fort is determined to find a way to outsmart the deadly vamp, even if he isn’t quite sure how.

But without having matured into full vampirehood and with Suzume ready to split if things get too risky, Fort’s rescue mission might just kill him.…

Another newbie is Alyssa Day‘s League of the Black Swan. The first book is called The Cursed.

Synopsis…

Bordertown private investigator Luke Oliver’s beat is the dimensional fold in Manhattan between the human and supernatural realms. But now a secret from his past—the League of the Black Swan—has surfaced. Because Luke isn’t any ordinary P.I. He’s the Dark Wizard of Bordertown, and he never backs down from a fight.

But this time the fight threatens his life and his heart. Rio Jones, the only woman he loved, needs his help against a deadly menace. Luke pushed her away once before, so she’d never fall prey to the curse that threatens to destroy him. He swore he’d never let her go again.

Luke and Rio, with the help of the newly reformed League, must keep evil forces from taking over Bordertown—all the while battling a passion on the razor’s edge between danger and desire. And going to take everything they have just to stay alive.

The Mist-Torn Witches from Barb Hendee is the first book of her new series, also called The Mist-Torn Witches.

Synopsis…

In a small village in the nation of Droevinka, orphaned sisters Céline and Amelie Fawe scrape out a living selling herbal medicines in their apothecary shop. Céline earns additional money by posing as a seer and pretending to read people’s futures.

But they exist in a land of great noble houses, all vying for power, and when the sisters refuse the orders of a warlord prince, they must flee and are forced to depend on the warlord prince’s brother, Anton, for a temporary haven.

A series of bizarre deaths of pretty young girls are plaguing the village surrounding Prince Anton’s castle. He offers Céline and Amelie permanent protection if they can use their “skills” to find the killer.

With little choice, the sisters enter a world unknown to them — of fine gowns and banquets and advances from powerful men. Their survival depends on catching a murderer who appears to walk through walls and vanish without a trace — and the danger around them seems to grow with each passing night.

Jean Johnson‘s Guardians of Destiny series starts with the release of The Tower. I am not quite sure how this one ties into her Sons of Destiny series.

Synopsis…

In a fertile valley undisrupted by the aether-shattering death of the old Aian Empire, the Tower and its Guardians have entertained generations of wealthy mirror-scrying mages while adventurers from around the world risk their lives for fortune and fame. But on the one day the Tower stood unguarded, an intruder tried to seize the magic powering the vast structure. Now, locked out of the Tower’s innermost chambers, Kerric Vo Mos must brave the deadly traps keeping trespassers at bay in order to reclaim control.

Unfortunately, Kerric wields a pen far better than a sword, and the way into the Tower’s sanctum is treacherous. Only the help of an experienced player like Myal the Mendhite can get him to where he must go. But mutual respect will not be enough. Passion must also be employed, along with armor and weapons, as they embark on a perilous quest past monsters, riddles, and other dangers that even the Tower’s most dedicated viewers have never seen before.

Still on the adult side of things, Katie MacAlister‘s new Time Thief series makes its debut with the release of The Time Thief tomorrow.

Synopsis…

Outcast due to their ability to manipulate time, shunned by the mortal and immortal worlds alike, a Traveller’s life is anything but easy.

Peter Faa is a member of the Watch tracking down a murderer, and unfortunately, all clues seem to point toward his own estranged family of Travellers. Any of his cousins could be guilty, but which one? They’re all experts in the art of stealing time…

After surviving a lightning strike, Kiya Mortenson is determined to get just one thing in her life right. And if that means taking a job as nanny to five pugs on a campsite in the Oregon wilderness, then so be it. It doesn’t hurt that the job comes with some spectacular male eye candy, including her new boss’s gorgeous grandson. If only she didn’t keep having this strange sense of deja vu…

When Peter discovers his own family is stealing time from Kiya, all bets are off. While she may drive him crazy at times, it’s clear that it’s not just lightning that’s creating some serious sparks between them. And he’s not going to let secrets, lies, or a devious murderer keep Kiya from where she belongs: at his side.

This weeks lone Young Adult debut comes from Margaret Stohl. Icons is the first book of the new Icons series. I have been seeing this one all over the place the last few days.

Synopsis…

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol’s family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn’t know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside — safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can’t avoid.

She’s different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador’s privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn’t a coincidence. It’s a conspiracy.

Within the Icon’s reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions — which they’ve always thought to be their greatest weaknesses — may actually be their greatest strengths.

And finally, this is the week of the final Sookie Stackhouse novel, Dead Ever After. There is anther supplemental book to follow from Charlaine Harris later in the year called After Dead, but for the most part this is the end for Sookie and the gang.

Synopsis…

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart….

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough…

So, what are you looking forward to this week? I read the excerpt for The Cursed that was released a while back and it didn’t grab my attention, and Jean Johnson is definitely not a favorite of mine, but I do find myself wondering how Icons will be. Are you going to miss Sookie books, or do you think the time has come to call it quits in Bon Temps?